Friday, September 16, 2005

Are We Too Picky?

We recently went to the UK for a wedding and on the way back stopped in Langkawi for a five-day mini vacation. While the hotel we stayed in the London suburb was everything I had ever imagined the English countryside to be, the food was less than satisfactory. But then again, food is not exactly England’s strong suit. So no disappointment there, and we looked forward to the gastronomic treat that's surely awaiting us in Langkawi.

Before the trip, we spent many long hours discussing which hotel to stay in: Four seasons vs. Andaman vs. The Datai. In the end the Datai won because of its reputation of being a non-family oriented resort (ostracize me for not wanting my tranquil hours by the pool ruined by screaming kids!) with tastefully decorated rooms, impeccable service, and excellent food. In fact I read so many travelers’ rave reviews of the food in the Datai that I was practically dizzy with anticipation: laksa, nasi goreng, roti prata, nasi lemak and of course curries and satays. What would I have first?

Upon arriving in the open-air lobby at the Data, we were promptly served a welcome drink, which set the tone for almost all the food we had at the Datai: watery, bland, and lacked character. For a Malaysian resort, there were surprisingly very few Malaysian dishes to choose from, except at the weekly Malay-Night buffet dinner. But even then our dinner had to be ruined by a watery and tastless nee goreng. Mee goreng, people! How can the chef not know how to cook the most basic dish that any hawker can master? One might argue that being a resort that serves an international clientele, maybe the taste is toned down to please the less adventurous diners. Fine, then what about western food? Shouldn’t they be good if western tourists are the main target? Not so again. Every time we ordered a salad, a sandwich, or a pizza, Jason kept on commenting that even my food tasted better. I should’ve felt flattered, I know, but it was really not a compliment for me, it reflected the, once again, bland and tasteless food.

Are we too picky? Have we been so spoiled by the high standard of food readily available in Japan that we take things for granted? We questioned ourselves frequently and especially when we were served dull and uninspiring food at the Datai. But our soul searching was put to rest when one night we decided to break free and took a 50-minute taxi ride to visit a night market across the island in Kuah Town.

It was only a street of about 200 meters (but don’t quote me on it because I am horrible with distance) lined on both sides with hawkers peddling everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to freshly made local food, most of which we couldn’t name. To maximize our coverage, we devised a game plan and ordered everything that caught our eyes, but only one portion and split everything 50-50. When we came out from the other end of the street, I was rubbing my stomach with a big grin on my face. Now, that’s Malay food, damn it. Was that so hard for the Datai chef to manage?

Just saw your photos. I was going to say the resort food looked impressive, but frankly, the lack of quality is to be expected. I think they water it down for the foreigners. Now the food you saw at the night market.... now that looks amazing. That, to me, is REAL FOOD. I can't think of anything Danny or wouldn't have tried there...

When my wife and I visited Redang, Malaysia, we stayed at a resort, and the food was only so-so. I was expecting some amazing dishes, and wasn't too happy. I am not surprised at your disappointment at the resort food. When my friend took us out to a local place (back in KL), we were blown away. It was awesome! You are right when you say that Tokyo has great food. I grew up in Los Angeles (also great food), lived in Tokyo for three years, and now live in Austin TX, which is surpisingly not bad as far as food is concerned, all things considered. But I got spoiled in Tokyo. Don't take it for granted! :)

barron, I think we were spoiled by the great food in Tokyo and also two previous resorts where we vacationed in that had incredible food. I already know I'll miss the food in Tokyo when I leave =o( so I'm trying to take in as much as I can now.

Sadly, so many great resorts in SE Asia have food that's as bad as the design of the bungalow are wonderful. I once spent a few days at Pangkor Laut. Not only was the food awful but the resort refused to serve local Malay food. Unfortunately, this bad food problem is oddly consistent. From the Six Senses group's resorts to the Banyan Trees, the ambience is lovely but the food lousy. The only chain that's consistently wowed me has been the Aman resorts.

chubbyhubby, maybe you're right. Now I think about it, we weren't happy with Banyan Tree's food either (Phuket). Although, we were very impressed with the food at one of the Six Sense resorts (Soneva Gili in Maldives) and Hotel Tugu in Bali that we let our guard down and took it for granted that all resorts should have excellent food to go along with the excellent ambience and service.

Haven't had the good fortune to stay in an Aman resort yet, but it's good to know that I have good food to look forward to there =o)

About Me

After obtaining her Doctorate in Pharmacy, Lynn spent years working in the healthcare industry but was frustrated that she couldn’t derive any satisfaction from her career. She finally made the decision to pursue what she enjoys doing the most: making delicious desserts and sharing them with the people in her life. She enrolled in the French culinary institute Le Cordon Bleu in Tokyo and obtained her diploma in French patisserie in December 2006.

When not in her kitchen whisk in hand, Lynn enjoys taking photos of food and her surroundings. Her photos have been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Hong Kong Chic, Tokyo Chic, Singapore Chic, promotional materials for Le Goûter Bernadaud Hong Kong and several websites and web based magazines. The cookbook that she shot: Wine Dinners by Melina and NK Yong went on to win Best Wine Book of the Year at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2009.

Lynn started taking riding lessons in 2009 and before long, weekly lessons became bi-weekly, then three times a week. She now rides 5 days a week at the Singapore Polo Club on a lovely Lipizzaner mare named Istria.